Page 57 of Break Out

“Arthur said that Beatrice threatened to not pay for the whole wedding. He had to step in and smooth things over,” Devon adds.

“I’m shocked he has that much pull over her.” I take a sip from my drink.

“Yeah. They’re an interesting pair,” Brielle says with a shake of her head. Everyone nods their agreement.

“So,” Brielle says. “Is it true what they say about hockey players?” She smirks at me over the rim of her glass.

“What’s that?” I brace myself for what’s about to come out of her mouth. I don’t know the adult version of Brielle very well, but I have learned, in the few hours we’ve been sitting in the bar, that the more she drinks, the less of a filter she has.

“That their stamina is through the roof. That they can go All. Night. Long.” She punctuates each word with a waggle of her eyebrows. I choke on my bourbon and have to inhale deeply a few times before I can breathe again.

“For fuck’s sake,” Aubrey mumbles, shaking her head at her sister, her face flushing.

“What?” Brielle asks, raising a shoulder in a half shrug. “Is it true?”

Well things just got interesting.

Did not see the conversation going this way tonight.

“Bri,” Devon hisses. “Sorry.” He directs his apology at us.

I chuckle into my glass and take another sip, waiting to see what Aubrey’s answer is.

“None of your business.” Aubrey says, glaring at her sister.

Thankfully, the conversation shifts after that. Eventually, Brielle and Devon decide to call it a night, so we pay our bills and head to the elevators.

Even though we were up much later last night than nights past, my eyes still pop open at seven. I lie in bed for a little while trying to fall back to sleep, but it’s no use. With a sigh, I get up and pull on my gym clothes and running shoes. Might as well get a run in if I can’t sleep.

An hour later, having run six miles and stretched, I head back to our suite. As I’m opening the door, my phone vibrates with a text from Bruce. I knew ignoring his call last night wasn’t going to stop him.

Bruce: Hey Brody. I know you’re on vacation, but I wanted to talk to you about the offer I got from the Storm.

My mouth falls open. The Storm want me back? I scrub a hand down my face, inhaling sharply as I step into our suite. Didn’t see that coming. Before I can respond, another message comes through.

Bruce: Three years. Eight million a year.

My eyes dart toward the still dark bedroom where Aubrey is sleeping. That’s quite an impressive offer. In any other situation, I’d be jumping to tell Bruce to accept it, but now, after the events of the past few days, I don’t know. I want to explore whatever is starting between Aubrey and me. But she’s moving to Hawaii in the fall. I can’t take the deal without seeing where things are going between us. Without talking to Aubrey about where we might be headed. I take a deep breath and then type a message back to Bruce.

Me: Not sure. Let me think about it.

Bruce’s response comes quickly. He must be glued to his phone.

Bruce: I don’t know that the Storm can do any better with the salary cap they’re up against. But maybe another team might.

Me: It’s not that. Let me think about it.

Bruce: Okay, but I need an answer before July first.

Me: Okay.

I stare at my phone long after it goes black, thinking about the Storm’s offer. Is this real life? I’ve spent the past two months convincing myself that my career was over, which wasn’t as terrifying as it ought to be. And now here they are asking me to come back. I just don’t know if I want to.

Especially if it means giving up Aubrey.

Chapter twenty-two

Aubrey